“You should be in prison”
Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) attacked Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison for accepting campaign donations from scammers who stole hundreds of millions of dollars from taxpayers.
The most prominent Republican in Missouri Report from the mail received $10,000 in contributions from individuals linked to the Feeding Our Future fraud scandal that erupted. $250 million of taxpayer money.
“You helped crooks defraud your state and this $9 billion government — and got a campaign contribution from them,” Hawley fumed at Ellison. “You should be charged.”
The senator continued: “Do you know where it went? What it was used for — fraudulent money? I know that, because we just heard testimony about it yesterday… hundreds of millions of dollars to terrorists… international criminal organizations, drug trafficking, drug trafficking, child trafficking.”
“I took $10,000,” Hawley said.
“That’s a lie,” Ellison responded.
“Early in 2019, the whistleblower…” Hawley began before Ellison interrupted. Hawley added: “Don’t talk to me…it’s my hearing, my friend.”
“Don’t call me a ‘friend,’” the Minnesota AG fumed.
“Well, I must call you prisoner because you should be in prison,” Hawley said in a thundering voice. “Whistleblowers in your office came to you and referred Feed Our Future fraud allegations to you, and you denied them. Listen to your government newspaper.”
“That’s a lie,” Ellison said again.
“Partners in Nutrition took their concerns to the Attorney General’s Office in 2018 and 2019. And they did nothing. They did nothing for years. The only action you took was once all these crooks came to your office and asked you to get involved and offer your money, and you didn’t come and get involved, and then get the money and get involved,” Hawley said in the Minnesota Star Tribune.
Here’s the latest news on the Minnesota fraud scheme:
Ellison replied, “They didn’t come to my office. You’re completely wrong. … I didn’t see anyone.”
Hawley noted that the approximately hour-long meeting was recorded on video and is easily searchable on Google. Ellison claimed that the quotes from him posted by the senator were “cherry-picked.”
The state attorney general also claimed that “no donations had arrived.”
“You should resign,” Hawley said in response.
“I was thinking the same thing about you,” Ellison replied.
